Flight of the Saint Dragon
by Monoshiri
Summary: Massive AU, folks...Yuugi and co. are renegades in deep space with a mission, on the run from a tyrannical council and pursued by pirates, security forces, and all manner of scariness...(Author adds the obligatory YAOI warning ^-^)
1. Author's Notes, Preface, and Charas

Flight of the Saint Dragon  
  
By Monoshiri  
  
A/N: Credit where credit's due on this one. It was inspired by a combination of the Animatrix (Final Flight of the Osiris), too much soda pop, and Ice Blue X's example for an AU. My brain blends it all together, and here we have the soda-poppy-good result. A warning to the reader: this is an AU, folks, which means things ain't what they are in the YGO-verse. In this fic, the characters remain IC, but the situation is wholly different. Now, with that out of the way, I'd better put up the  
  
BIG FAT YAOI WARNING  
  
There, did you see it? *snerksnerk* Pretty obvious, ne? Well, actually, it only has one yaoi pairing in it.the others are het pairings. However, there's lots of fluffy male bonding, WAFF-y goodness, romance, humour, and action in it as well, so that should keep most people entertained. I should warn you of two other things as well. One is that there is  
  
TORTURE, VIOLENCE, GUNFIGHTS, NASTINESS, AND A BIG FAT YAOI LEMON  
  
In this fic as well. The other is that, well, to those of you who loathe certain characters, please be aware that I like *all* of the charas in YGO (although some I like best *huggles Jounouchi, Yuugi, and Kaiba*).hell, I'll even give Ryuuzaki and Haga a fair hearing ^-^. So there will be no Anzu-bashing, Honda-bashing, or anybody-bashing in this fic, and if someone flames me because I wrote someone they dislike a decent role, you were forewarned, it's your own problem.  
  
A final note: some authors encourage flamers. I am not one of them. I adore constructive criticism, but flames are just a waste of monitor space. Please refrain from flaming, smoking, and throwing things at the screen, and please turn off all cell phones during the fanfic. Thank you, and have a pleasant viewing. ^-^ Without further ado,  
  
THE PREFACE:  
  
The year is 2257, and humanity, having perfected space travel, has colonized the galaxy. Under the rule of the all-powerful Galactic Council, the lives of the humans living on the terraformed planets of the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta sectors are content and economically stable, if not entirely free. However, for the inhabitants of the poverty-stricken Epsilon sector, especially the planet Nexus 4, life is a constant struggle for survival, and dreams are crushed by the poverty and hunger that stalks this powerless, useless part of the Interstellar Home System.  
  
Yet on Nexus 4, a young boy, Yuugi Mouto, has finally achieved his secret ambition: in a region where star ships, especially sleek fighters, are legendary but unreachable, Yuugi and his grandfather Suguroku have succeeded in building a ship unmatched in all five systems. Swift, powerful, large enough for four crew, a voyager/racer/fighter and a revolution of mechanical work and design, the ship is christened the *Saint Dragon*. Yuugi's dream to become a pilot is about to be fulfilled, it seems...until it becomes clear that he has a greater purpose than mere racing.  
  
The Galactic Council, concerned by attacks from rogue colonies, space pirates, and unknown species, has been developing new weapons for their vast Interstellar Security Force. Unfortunately, these weapons require a power source beyond what is available.until a genius scientist, Pegasus J. Crawford, discovers a material abundant in the Epsilon sector, Vorostrite, which, when placed in fission correctly, can generate the massive power needed for the Galactic Council to achieve its aims and maintain its all- powerful rule. The only way to generate this fission, however, is through a tiny machine called the Z-One, unique and impossible to duplicate, which Crawford's associate, Arthur Hopkins, created just before he died. The Galactic Council sends the ISF to prepare (re: force) the people of Nexus 4, which is composed entirely of the needed Vorostrite, to evacuate to other sectors until further notice. It is clear that the Council thinks nothing of the inhabitants of the planet: there are no plans to re-settle them after Nexus 4 is destroyed.  
  
Yuugi and his grandfather are in the midst of preparing to leave when the *Saint Dragon* receives a teleported item: the Z-One, the brainchild of Arthur Hopkins, and the sole enabler of the Council to create the needed fission in the Vorostrite. Somehow, the signal on the *Dragon*'s receiver interfered with a secure connection between the Council and the ISF, resulting in the accidental transport of the Z-One aboard the *Saint Dragon*.  
  
Suguroku urges Yuugi to return the machine to the ISF and not cause trouble, but Yuugi, when he discovers what the Z-One is and what it has caused, takes a different course. Deciding to try and save Nexus 4 from the Council's machinations, he hides it on board the *Saint Dragon*, intending to take the device far away where no one will ever find it (the Z- One is, unfortunately, indestructible); first, however, he goes to say a final goodbye to his childhood friends...  
  
DRAMATIS PERSONAE (THE CHARACTERS^-^)  
  
YUUGI MOUTO, a sweet little kid from Nexus 4 who just wanted to be a pilot when he grew up. Now, however, the fate of his family and friends, not to mention his whole planet, has been thrust onto his shoulders through an accident of fate. With the *Saint Dragon* under his command and the Z-One in his possession, Yuugi has the courage to attempt to save Nexus 4, and as a bonus, the support of his best friends as crew. He's going to need them all, because he's also the most wanted person in the whole galaxy, now that the Council has found out he's got the Z-One.  
  
KATSUYA JOUNOUCHI, Yuugi's tough, fiery best friend, who is now serving as the gunner aboard the *Saint Dragon*. His whole life, Jounouchi has had everything taken from him by the Council: his sister was abducted by officials and sent to a wealthy, childless couple in the Alpha sector until Jounouchi's mother raised a public outcry; the boy he fell in love with was drafted into a cruel training program by an ISF general when they were twelve; his father was shot to death by Council agents. A skilled marksman and renowned fighter, Jounouchi is willing to do anything for his best friends Yuugi, Honda, and Anzu, and willing to do more even than that to defy the dictatorial Council.  
  
HIROTO HONDA, Jounouchi's best friend and Yuugi's protector, now the mechanic of the *Saint Dragon*. An expert with machines, Honda may seem like a hard-ass, but he has his soft spots: he'd go to any length to protect the ones he cares for, including his secret crush, Shizuka, Jounouchi's younger sister. He's also the voice of reason among the young idealistic crew of the *Saint Dragon*.  
  
ANZU MAZAKI, Yuugi's childhood friend and the co-pilot of the *Saint Dragon*. A spunky spitfire of a girl, Anzu has shared her best friend's dream of freedom and open space for as long as she can remember, and now she's finally taking the chance. She's not oblivious to the danger they're in by any means, but right now it doesn't bother her: she's certain that they'll succeed in thwarting the Council's destruction of Nexus 4.  
  
SETO KAIBA, the ruthless commander of the ISF and captain of the starship *Divine Soldier*. Kaiba is renowned as a cold and inhuman soldier, with a past shrouded in mystery. When the Z-One is entrusted to his care and goes missing on Nexus 4, a planet well known to him, Kaiba assumes responsibility for the loss and makes the recovery of the Z-One, and the capture of the fugitive *Saint Dragon* and her crew, his personal crusade. And anyone who knows of Kaiba's relentless reputation knows that the young renegades are in deadly danger from him.  
  
BAKURA, KING OF THIEVES, a merciless pirate and the captain of the starship *Necromancer*. Bakura knows the reputation of the Z-One; he'd love to steal it, and the notorious *Saint Dragon* as well, for his own purposes, and he's a good enough pilot that he might match Yuugi Mouto.  
  
MALIK ISHTAR, leader of the renegade Ghouls and captain of the starship *Winged Ra*. Malik is from a rogue colony attempting to assert independence from the Council through violence and terror: he needs the Z- One for leverage against the Council, and he'll kill to get it if he has to.  
  
MAI KUJAKU, a good-hearted pirate, captain of the *Harpy*. Mai comes onside with the renegades of the *Saint Dragon*, not caring that it may cost her freedom to befriend these daring rebels.  
  
"DINOSAUR" RYUUZAKI, a pirate, Mai's second and the gunner of the *Harpy*.  
  
KAJIKI RYOUTA, a pirate, the mechanic of the *Harpy*.  
  
"INSECTOR" HAGA, a pirate, the science officer of the *Harpy*.  
  
SHADI, ISIS ISHTAR, and ESPER ROBA, members of the Freethinkers, an organization of mystics which opposes the science-oriented Galactic Council.  
  
Phew, all done! That's all I can think of for now, minna-san.I'll put up the first chapter as soon as I can, I promise. ^-^ 


	2. The Catalyst: The Adventure Begins

To the Reviewers:  
  
Blue Lagoon Loon: Eep!! *hides, then pushes chapter out* See, see? Don't threaten meeeee--*jumps out and pokes* Peek-a-boo!  
  
Shamanic Guardian Lena: Heehee, background is fun. There'll be more action later, promise! ^-^  
  
DeusExMachine: Thank you! *blushes at the praise* And, hon, don't worry about that!! If you wanna do a space AU fic, I won't cry plagiarism at all. I mean, it's interesting to see the different takes of various authors on one theme. So go write it anyways, I'm sure it'll be great! *prods DEM to go off and start her fic* There aren't enough spacefics out there anyways.  
  
Silver Dragon: ^-^ to you too. *offers pocky*  
  
Hakai Suru: Here you go, O Insistent imooto-chan of mine. ^-^ Hope it meets yer approval.  
  
FLIGHT OF THE SAINT DRAGON: CHAPTER ONE  
  
THE CATALYST ~ ~ THE ADVENTURE BEGINS  
  
By Monoshiri  
  
= = = = = =  
  
Yuugi Mouto stood on the bridge of the *Saint Dragon*, watching the universe flash before his eyes in a never-ending stream of light and darkness, colour and void, existence and nothingness. Planets, their hues determined by the cloudy haze of chemical or biological matter on their surface, orbited silent stars; space dust and debris took on the quality of the rainbows he'd watched on Nexus 4, spanning the blackness; comets and asteroids floated lazily by, tip over tail, or sped on like the determined harbingers the ancient people of Earth thought they were. Two days ago, he could only imagine that he would ever be privy to the wonders of outer space: now, he was speeding through the stars as if he had always been there. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.  
  
It made him forget, if only for a moment, the immense danger he was in.  
  
"It's like a dream," Anzu Mazaki whispered from where she was seated at Yuugi's side, in the co-pilot's chair. Yuugi smiled at the wonder in his childhood friend's voice: he knew that Anzu, like him, had always wanted to fly a starship. "Isn't this amazing, Yuugi?"  
  
"It is," the young boy whispered, the light of far-off galaxies reflecting in his violet eyes. Then he blushed and turned to her. "But, Anzu, I'm glad I'm seeing it with you guys."  
  
"Heh, best believe that *we're* enjoying the view as well," chuckled Honda Hiroto from across the bridge, where he was stuffing down a cup of instant ramen with one hand while hammering an errant safety panel back in place with the other.  
  
"Honda, you're not even looking!" Anzu protested, unbuckling her seatbelt to walk over to the tallest member of their little crew. Honda grinned sheepishly and waggled a chopstick at her.  
  
"Ah, I'll look when I get a moment, I swear. Right now, though, this panel needs fixing, or we might have a short that'll shut off the gravity generator."  
  
"Details, details," Anzu snorted. "It's not every day you see something like this!"  
  
"Hey, guys, I got the plasma blaster on this baby functional! Hah, if any of those ISF bastards come after us, we'll give 'em a nasty little surprise-assuming, of course, they can match this thing's speed!"  
  
Jounouchi Katsuya came tromping out of the *Saint Dragon*'s miniscule cargo hold, his cheeks smudged with grime and an expression of undeniable glee on his face. Anzu took one look at him and giggled. Jounouchi stopped, put his hands on his hips, and glowered at the brunette.  
  
"What's so darn funny, Mazaki?"  
  
"Y-your clothes, Jounouchi, you look like something from my great- grandma's old "Firemen" calendar!" Anzu chuckled, as Honda covered his mouth to contain a snort. Jounouchi looked down at himself: baggy brownish- yellow flight pants, orange suspenders hanging down around his knees, heavy boots, tight, sweat-soaked white crop top, unruly blond locks hanging into his face, and all.  
  
"I do *not*!!" He snapped, and quickly changed the subject. "Yuugi, you and your old grandpa did a fantastic job on this bird! Wish he could have gone with us: he'd love to see how the *Dragon* handles, like a dream!"  
  
"Yeah," Yuugi murmured, feeling a little sad as an image of the kindly old man popped into his head. Then he brightened. "But at least I've got you guys with me, thank goodness!"  
  
= = = = = = =  
  
**BEGIN FLASHBACK**  
  
Yuugi seated himself on the chassis of a long-dead hummercraft and looked at the three taller teenagers sitting, standing, or lounging before him in the midst of a bare circle of earth surrounded by scrap.  
  
"I guess you guys are wondering why I asked you all to come here today."  
  
"Not really," Hiroto Honda said quietly from where he was leaning against a heap of old generators. "It's to say goodbye, isn't it, Yuugi?"  
  
Yuugi caught the tail end of a shuddering sigh from Anzu Mazaki. He looked over at his oldest friend, who was sitting in the dirt with her knees drawn up to her chest, her face streaked from crying: she was having trouble containing her tears even now. Yuugi felt a pang in his heart; he wanted to hug her and tell her it would be alright, but knew that he had to wait. He had a better reassurance to offer her now.  
  
Katsuya Jounouchi made no sound for his part, standing motionless to Yuugi's right, and yet the smaller boy knew well enough that Jounouchi's pain ran as deep as Anzu's did: if his upbringing had allowed him to cry, he would have, but Jounouchi had never been one to allow himself tears even in the depths of his despair.  
  
And Honda, sensible Honda, had hit on the reason that, if anything other than the events of yesterday had transpired, Yuugi would indeed have asked them to their "special place" for. This little piece of bare ground in the vast scrap yard, beneath the grey-brown skies of Nexus 4, had been in childhood a place to play and make-believe, in adolescence a place to gather and talk in secret, without fear of outsiders. Now it was going to be blown to oblivion, like the rest of their pitiful little planet, and the four of them would be taken, with their families, to separate locations in the Delta sector. It was likely that they would never see each other again.  
  
How ironic, Yuugi thought, that we used to come here to dream of going to a better place than Nexus 4. Now we want nothing more than for it to survive, so we can stay in our home and go on living the way we always have.  
  
Jounouchi spoke first, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "Those sons of bitches. Do they have any idea what kind of Hell they're sending the whole population of Nexus 4 to?"  
  
"Jounouchi--" Honda protested, trying to calm his friend.  
  
"They know." Anzu's voice was barely a whisper. "They don't care. We're nothing to them, after all. Just a bunch of Epsilon sector losers."  
  
"Goddamn it!" Jounouchi spun around and kicked a stray piece of plating with all his might, then swore as his thin shoe delivered the consequences to his toe. Hopping almost comically on one foot, he cursed furiously and creatively, causing Honda to laugh out loud and Anzu to crack a smile. The blond boy managed a faint smile.  
  
"Aw, fuck. It's no use whining about it. What happens, happens, after all: the Council gets their way no matter what anyone says."  
  
"Yeah," Honda murmured, his gaze faraway. "I guess we should make the best out of the time we've got left."  
  
Yuugi looked at the sorrow and resignation on his friends' faces. I can't delay this any longer. I can't stand seeing them so unhappy! I've got to tell them now!  
  
"Guys," he piped up suddenly, surprising them all out of their thoughts, "you may have more time left than you'd think."  
  
"Wha-Yuugi, what are you talking about?" Honda protested as Anzu and Jounouchi looked at him curiously. "We have to leave Nexus 4 by tomorrow at 06:00, and they're gonna start the Vorostrite fissions the day after that!"  
  
Yuugi debated within himself for a minute. Here was his final chance to turn back, do the lawful thing, obey the Council, and remain safe.  
  
Yes, but how can I when I have the means of saving Nexus 4 and everyone on it? How can I, when I can use the ship Grandpa and I built to thwart a power that has no right to call itself our government? How could I be selfish, when the means to save my home, my friends, and my family from destruction and exile have been delivered right into my hands??  
  
Yuugi took a deep breath, and whispered, "They can't start the fission process without the Z-One."  
  
Then he dug around in his jacket pocket, and drew forth the tiny indestructible object which each of them had heard of so often in the last few weeks, the miracle of modern technology that would theoretically save the Galaxy, but in practice destroy their planet. For minutes on end, Jounouchi, Honda, and Anzu could do nothing but stare.  
  
Finally, the former spoke up. "Yuugi-what are you saying? How is this possible?"  
  
Yuugi licked his lips nervously, then tightened his grip on the Z- One. His face was hard and determined now. "There was a mix-up in the transportation. I'm going to take the *Saint Dragon* away from here-and the Z-One will go with us."  
  
Anzu's stunned look told him all. "Yuugi, you're going to take it from the Council and the ISF?? They'll find out! They'll come after you, and they'll *kill* you for trying to-"  
  
"Anzu, you know the *Saint Dragon* is faster than the fastest ships the ISF has got. I'll make hyper-speed and go into deep space: they'll never find me there." Yuugi cut her off, seeing the tears well up in her big blue eyes again. He had expected delight that he was going to protect them all, but he hadn't anticipated the grief that was in Anzu's eyes as perfect understanding of what her closest friend was about to do consumed her. He felt his resolve weaken as she got to her feet and stumbled towards him, planting her hands on his shoulders.  
  
"Yuugi, don't go all by yourself, please!" Her voice was trembling softly. "You'll never survive alone!!"  
  
"Oh, Anzu-"Yuugi tried to tune out the pleading in her voice, but it was no use. "Grandpa's too old to go with me. Anyways, I have to do this."  
  
"I know you do, Yuugi." Jounouchi said suddenly, his gaze fixed on his friend's face. There was an odd, determined glint in his amber eyes. "But you shouldn't go-"  
  
"Jounouchi! Please, not you too!"  
  
"Let me finish, Yuugi: you shouldn't go alone. You need someone to watch your back out there." Jounouchi winked at him, his face jovial now. "It's not like you can take on the whole of the ISF by yourself."  
  
Yuugi looked back at Jounouchi, at his best friend who was beginning to look as he usually did before suggesting some madcap, bravado-fuelled adventure. "S-someone to watch my back, huh?"  
  
"Yeah-someone like me." Jounouchi was grinning openly now. "Man, there's no way you're fucking off into deep space with the whole ISF on your ass and leaving *me* here twiddling my thumbs."  
  
"But-but Jounouchi, your family-" Yuugi protested half-heartedly, suddenly feeling better.  
  
"-will be loads better off without me," Jounouchi finished for him with a half-sad grin. "This way, Mom will have more money for food and stuff, instead of having to bail me outta jail all the time."  
  
"And what about Shizuka?"  
  
Jounouchi's face softened, for a brief moment. "I know. I'll miss her: she's the only thing tying me to this junk-ball besides you guys. But how could I stay safe with her knowing I had the chance to get rid of that piece of shit and stop those Council bastards in their tracks? She loves this place, Yuugi, it's home to her in a way it's never been to me. How could I ever call myself a good older brother if I didn't give her the chance to live in the home she loves?"  
  
Yuugi couldn't help smiling at Jounouchi's arguments, which so closely echoed his own of a moment ago. "Jounouchi-I'd be honoured if you would come with me."  
  
"Hey, wait a minute, you two! You're not horning off and leaving me behind, are you?"  
  
Yuugi and Jounouchi both looked at Honda, who was starting to smile again. "I'll bet you fifty gold chips that *neither* of you twerps know the first thing about repairing the nitty-gritty on a starship."  
  
"Aw, Honda, c'mon ." Jounouchi snarked jokingly. "You superior bastard! Here's Yuugi and me preparing to go off and face death and whatnot, and all of a sudden you wanna tag along?! What gives?"  
  
The brunet shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, blushing, as Anzu caught wind of the situation and smiled wickedly.  
  
"What Honda means to say, Jounouchi, is that besides him being too stubborn to not help you, he'd be a royal louse in Shizuka's eyes if he let you buzz off into danger while he stayed behind safe."  
  
Jounouchi's eyes bulged and he gaped open-mouthed at his old friend. "Shizuka?? My little sister Shizuka??!!"  
  
Honda's blush deepened and he nodded. Yuugi smiled at the expression on Jounouchi's face: the blond was trying to look disapproving, but he couldn't hide the smile behind his eyes. Finally he gave in and smacked Honda's shoulder.  
  
"Oh, fine, pencil-head! If you wanna come with me and Yuugi to play the hero, then that's all right, I guess. Right, captain?"  
  
Yuugi blinked. It was odd, being addressed like that, and he told them so. Jounouchi snickered.  
  
"Well, how about Captain Midget, then? OW!!"  
  
When Yuugi and Honda had properly tackled/hugged Jounouchi into submission, the smaller boy managed to glance up at Anzu, only to find unshed tears still shining in the brunette's eyes: they were not joyful tears either.  
  
"Anzu? What is it?"  
  
She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Nothing."  
  
"Bull," Jounouchi snapped, brushing the knees of his threadbare flight suit pants off. He, too, had noticed the sadness in Anzu's face. "What's the matter, Anzu?"  
  
"Nothi-oh, screw it!" She suddenly burst out, surprising her three male friends. "I *know* you're going to think I'm a whiny baby for this, but-this is just like always!! You guys go off on some dangerous thing, and leave *me* behind to worry about you because I'm a girl and because you think I need protecting!! Never mind that I've always dreaming of being a member of the crew of a real star ship-OH!" Anzu suddenly clamped her hands over her own mouth, blushing with humiliation at having said far too much.  
  
Yuugi glanced at Honda and Jounouchi, who both shrugged and grinned rather guiltily.  
  
"Hmm, never knew you felt that way, Anzu."  
  
"She *did* almost manage to kick your ass during all the space simulation exercises, Yuugi," Jounouchi pointed out softly as the flustered Anzu started messing with her own much-repaired skirt. "And that's saying something, since Aviator Takahashi himself said you were the most gifted pilot he'd ever seen!"  
  
Yuugi blushed a bit, then walked over to Anzu and poked her arm gently. When she looked down at him through red-rimmed eyes, he took her hand in his and smiled warmly at her.  
  
"Anzu-I know what I'm asking is really dangerous, but I need a good co-pilot if I want to have any chance of avoiding the Interstellar Security Force and the Council. Now Jounouchi's a crack shot with any weapon, and Honda's a fantastic mechanic, but neither of them know how to fly a ship, so-"  
  
Yuugi's speech was cut off by Anzu glomping him happily and doing her endlessly entertaining victory dance. Jounouchi burst out laughing and pumped his own fist in the air.  
  
"Awriiight!! We've got a crew and a cause, and only so much time before the Council finds our asses out. So let's get going!"  
  
"Right now?"  
  
"It's the only way," Yuugi pointed out. "If we tell people where we're going, the ISF will discover us."  
  
"You mean-I have to leave without saying goodbye to my family? To Shizuka?" Honda asked quietly, the joy vanishing from his face.  
  
Anzu and Jounouchi also quieted down quickly, sombre realization overtaking them. The blond boy absently put his hand in his pocket and took out an old-fashioned photo of his younger sister, the object of Honda's affections. Most people used holo-images nowadays, but Jounouchi's family was so poverty-striken that they could only afford deeply outdated technology like digital cameras. He stroked the well-worn image gently, then replaced it and frowned.  
  
Yuugi finally spoke. "We have to. I can't even tell my grandpa: I'm just going to take the *Dragon* off in secret from the hangar, without his knowledge. That way if they mind-scan him, he won't know anything and they'll assume he's innocent."  
  
Honda was silent for a while, then he smiled sadly. "I guess you're right. We're doing it for them, after all."  
  
"I can probably sneak a few things out past my mom and dad, like a change of clothes and enough freeze-dried food for a few weeks," Anzu suggested.  
  
"Sure, I'll go get my tool kit, some smelly old pants for Anzu to wear, a few porn mags-there's more room under my jacket to hide stuff, y'know."  
  
"HONDA!!"  
  
"Well, we are gonna be on the run for quite a while."  
  
"Ecchi," Jounouchi chuckled, elbowing Yuugi. "You thought of everything that's *not* important." The blond's gaze grew distant. "Mom and Shizuka are both out working tonight, so I'll have no trouble sneaking my old man's sniper rifle and his blaster out; I hid them when the Force came to arrest me the first time. And I have to get my-" He paused and looked uncertainly at Yuugi.  
  
"It's okay, Jounouchi," the petit boy reassured him, understanding in his big violet eyes. "The ship's not big, but there's room enough for Icy on board: he's small anyways, he won't take up much space."  
  
Jounouchi smiled with relief. The four looked at each other, lost for words at the moment.  
  
Finally, Yuugi announced, in a more decisive voice than he had ever used before, "Alright, we have one hour to get our things together, then we'll meet at Hangar 13-A, where the *Dragon* is housed. Now, let's go!"  
  
There was a momentary nod of farewell exchanged between the quartet, and then they scattered, leaving their secret meeting place for the last time.  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
= = = = = = = =  
  
Yuugi saw the answering smiles on his friends' faces, starlight rips in the blackness of space illuminating Anzu, Honda, and Jounouchi's eyes, full of hope and determination.  
  
Jounouchi chuckled softly to lighten the weighty moment, then snapped a suspender at Honda, who responded by pitching a gorilla wrench at his friend's head.  
  
Yuugi was about to laugh as the duo tried unsuccessfully (and without much real effort) to throttle each other, when Anzu's hand clamped down on his wrist. The taller girl was pointing to the scanner display on the *Saint Dragon*'s starboard cabin wall, her eyes wide with fear.  
  
"Yuugi-we've got company. And those aren't merchant ships!!"  
  
Yuugi needed only a moment to identify the ships that had of late been common sights around Nexus 4: three massive Interstellar Security Force fighters, the best in the galaxy. Coming straight for their position.  
  
= = = = = = = =  
  
A/N: Cliffhanger!! Bwahahahahaaaa! I love those. So, will the crew of the *Saint Dragon* escape in time? What's this 'Icy' thing that's as precious to Jounouchi as his sister's picture? Will Honda ever see Shizuka again? Will Yuugi and Anzu realize their shared dream, or be crushed by the powers that be? Who is Seto Kaiba, and what does he have to do with Jounouchi's past? *cue corny soap opera music* Find out more, next week, on "M-chan's Obnoxious Teasers"!!  
  
Yuugi: Oh, brother. oO;  
  
This is gonna be an epic, folks. Sorry about the long wait for the second chappie, but it was mostly setup and character introduction, which is harder for me to write than fast-paced action and drama. I swear, the third chapter will show up sooner. ^^; Please review!! (Reviewing feeds the authoress, heh heh--) Coming up: space pirates, angst, Kaiba's introduction, and the plots of the Galactic Council. 


End file.
